It is a greater refreshment to me, my dearest Aunt Mary and Charlotte,
to have a quiet half hour in which to write to you, while Fanny and
Harriet are practising with M. Deschamp, their dancing-master, in the
next room.
We had a delightful breakfast at Degerando's, in a room hung round with
some very valuable pictures: one in particular, which was sent to
Degerando by the town of Pescia, as a proof of gratitude for his conduct
at the time when he was in Italy under Buonaparte--sent to him after he
was no longer in power. There was an Italian gentleman, Marchese
Ridolfi, of large fortune and benevolent mind, intent on improving his
people. We also met Madame de Villette, Voltaire's "_belle et bonne_:"
she has still some remains of beauty, and great appearance of
good-humour. It was delightful to hear her speak of Voltaire with the
enthusiasm of affection, and with tears in her eyes beseeching us not to
believe the hundred misrepresentations we may have heard, but to trust
her, the person who had lived with him long, and who knew him best and
last. After breakfast she took us to her house, where Voltaire had
lived, and where we saw his chair and his writing desk turning on a
pivot on the arm of the chair: his statue smiling, keen-eyed, and
emaciated, said to be a perfect resemblance. In one of the hands hung
the brown and withered crown of bays, placed on his head when he
appeared the last time at the Théâtre Français. Madame de Villette
showed us some of his letters--one to his steward, about sheep, etc.,
ending with, "Let there be no drinking, no rioting, no beating of your
wife." The most precious relic in this room of Voltaire's is a little
piece carved in wood by an untaught genius, and sent to Voltaire by some
peasants, as a proof of gratitude. It represents him sitting, listening
to a family of poor peasants, who are pleading their cause: it is
excellent.
Two of the Miss Lawrences are at Paris. They are very sensible,
excellent women. They brought a letter from Miss Carr, begging me to see
them; and I hope I have had some little opportunity of obliging them,
for which they are a thousand times more greatful than I deserve.
Indeed, next to the delight of seeing my sisters so justly appreciated
and so happy at Paris, my greatest pleasure has been in the power of
introducing to each other people who longed to meet, but could not
contrive it before. We took Miss Lawrence to one of the great schools
established here on the Lancasterian principles, and we also took her to
hear a man lecture upon the mode of teaching arithmetic and geometry
which my father has recommended in _Practical Education_: the sight of
the little cubes was at once gratifying and painful.
I have just heard from Hunter that he is printing _Rosamond_, and that
my friends at home will correct the proofs for me: GOD bless them! We
spent a very pleasant day at dear Madame de Roquefeuille's, at
Versailles; and, returning, we paid a _latish_ visit to the Princess
Potemkin. What a contrast the tone of conversation and the whole of the
society from that at Versailles!
Certainly, no people can have seen more of the world than we have done
in the last three months. By seeing the world I mean seeing varieties of
characters and manners, and being behind the scenes of life in many
different societies and families. The constant chorus of our moral as we
drive home together at night is, "How happy we are to be so fond of each
other! How happy we are to be independent of all we see here! How happy
that we have our dear home to return to at last!"
But to return to the Princess Potemkin: she is Russian, but she has all
the grace, softness, and winning manners of the Polish ladies, and an
oval face, pale, with the finest, softest, most expressive _chestnut_
dark eyes. She has a sort of politeness which pleases peculiarly--a
mixture of the ease of high rank and early habit with something that is
sentimental without affectation. Madame Le Brun is painting her picture:
Madame Le Brun is sixty-six, with great vivacity as well as genius, and
better worth seeing than her pictures; for though they are speaking, she
speaks, and speaks uncommonly well.
Madame de Noisville, _dame d'honneur_ to the Princess Potemkin, educated
her and her sisters: the friendship of the pupil and the preceptress
does honour to both. Madame de Noisville is a very well-bred woman, of
superior understanding and decided character, very entertaining and
agreeable. She told us that Rostopchin, speaking of the Russians, said
he would represent their civilisation by a naked man looking at himself
in a gilt-framed mirror.
The Governor of Siberia lived at Petersburgh, and never went near his
government. One day the Emperor, in presence of this governor and
Rostopchin, was boasting of his farsightedness. "Commend me," said
Rostopchin, "to M. le Gouverneur, who sees so well from Petersburgh to
Siberia." Good-bye.
* * * * *
An evening which Miss Edgeworth spent at Neuilly _en famille_ impressed
her with the unaffected happiness of the Orleans family. The Duke showed
her the picture of himself teaching a school in America: Mademoiselle
d'Orleans pointed to her harp, and said she superintended the lessons of
her nieces; both she and her brother acknowledging how admirably Madame
de Genlis had instructed them. The Duchess sat at a round table working,
and in the course of the evening the two eldest little boys ran in from
an École d'enseignement mutuel which they attended in the neighbourhood,
with their schoolbooks in their hands, and some prizes they had gained,
eager to display them to their mother. It was a happy, simple family
party.
* * * * *
MARIA _to_ MRS. RUXTON.